Craig Selected for Team USA

May 23, 2007

May 23, 2007

Yale senior fullback Taylor Craig has been named one of the 45 players who will make up Team USA at the 2007 World Championship of American Football from July 7-15 at Kawasaki, Japan. It will mark the first time that the United States will play in this international event.

The six-country tournament is the third staged by the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Team USA, coached by John Mackovic, will face Germany and Korea in pool play. The other pool will consist of host and two-time defending champion Japan along with Sweden and France.

Craig, a 2006 second-team All-Ivy selection, earned Yale's Jim Keppel Award as the team's offensive back of the year despite few touches of the football. However, he was instrumental in the Bulldogs' 8-2 campaign and a share of the Ivy League title.

"All of our efforts over the last year have been directed towards this announcement," USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck said. "Filling out our roster is another important milestone for USA Football. We now know the players who will represent our country and our game at the World Championship. All of us at USA Football are looking forward to seeing this team take the field for the first time."

The 45 players selected were chosen from a pool of 2006 college seniors and represent all levels of college football. NCAA and NAIA schools were asked by USA Football to nominate up to two seniors during the season. That list was pared down by the Team USA coaching staff through film evaluation.

"This team is a complete cross section of U.S. football," said Mackovic, a former NCAA and NFL coach. "We're excited that we are able to blend every level of college football and put together a team of players from schools of every size. We hope to represent our country in the highest fashion and be great ambassadors for football around the world."

Team USA will train at San Jose State University from June 20-July 4 prior to leaving for Japan.